A Republican lawmaker from Texas issued a barely veiled threat against Beto O'Rourke after the Democrat presidential hopeful said he would seize assault rifles behind many mass shootings in the country."My AR is ready for you, Robert Francis," Texas state legislator Briscoe Cain tweeted after O'Rourke's pledge in the Democratic presidential debate late Thursday, using O'Rourke's given name.

O'Rourke had been asked if he favored confiscating assault weapons, one of which was used to kill 22 people at a Walmart store in his home town of El Paso, Texas on August 3.